Kidnap, Part 10

Kidnap
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Part 10

Tammy had no idea her mother was home when she got off the bus and walked
inside the house.  She saw both her parents sitting on the couch together.
She dropped her book bags in horror at the sight of what she believed was her
mother's ghost.

The ghost beckoned her with open arms and a cigarette.  The cigarette didn't
surprise her.  She was a fan of the TV show "Providence" and the main
character's mom was a ghost and she was always smoking.  It only made sense
that her mom's ghost would be smoking.  That's what ghosts did.  They smoked.

She heard her father say it was OK as her mother called her name.

Linda stood up and walked toward her daughter.  Tammy was overwhelmed but
compelled to meet her halfway across the hardwoods.  They embraced and Tammy
thought she felt real enough.

"Mom is that really you?" she asked.  "Are you really home now?"

Linda ran her fingers through her daughter's long blond hair as tears of joy
streamed down her cheeks.  "Yes Honey.  It's really me.  I've missed you so
much.  I can't believe how much you've grown since I've been gone.  Oh Honey
I love you.  I'll never leave you again."

They ate together as a family that night for the first time in a year.  Tammy
filled her mother in on what happened over the last year.  She told her mom
about her school and how Daddy had taught her to ride a bike without training
wheels.  Linda couldn't take her eyes off her family as they chattered away
and she couldn't take her hand off the cigarette that had become a permanent
fixture between her fingers.  She smoked throughout dinner using the bowl
from the cupboard as an ashtray.  She was self conscious of her appearance.
She had smoked for a year but only in front of Dr. Blacklung.  Never in her
worst nightmares did she imagine her self-smoking in front of family and
friends.  What would people think?  What would they say?

Of course Tammy noticed her mother's smoking and asked about it.  Not wanting
to scare his daughter with the story of Dr. Blacklung, Peter told Tammy that
Mommy had gone through a tough time over the past year and that sometimes
people start smoking to relieve their stress.  He told her that smoking
helped ease Mommy's nerves.

Tammy accepted her father's explanation and Linda gave her husband a grateful
look.  

Tammy's bedtime came several hours after dinner.  For the first time in a
year, both her parents tucked her in and kissed her goodnight.  She was so
excited and happy to have her mother back home that she had a hard time going
to sleep but sleep eventually took her and brought good dreams in return.

Linda and Peter were finally alone with each other.  There was no detective
on the couch.  Their little girl was safe and happy in her bed.  Dr.
Blacklung was nowhere to be seen, but his handiwork hung thickly in the air
between them.

They had decided to put off telling their families and friends about her
return until tomorrow.  Linda had had enough excitement for one day.  She
just wanted to be alone with her family.

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